Kinship
by Lennox13
Summary: Todoroki Shouto is taken completely by surprise when his cousin shows up. Or alternatively: Shouto meets Zuko.
1. Chapter 1

**Okay, I have never written for Anime before, so please feel free to correct any mistakes. **

**I honestly just needed to see these two meet. **

**I binge-watched Avatar recently and then watched Boku no Hero, and clearly I'm not the only one who saw the similarities. So, please comment, question and suggest any interactions you would like to see happen.**

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"Good morning. I-uh, I for looking a… uh… Shouto Todoroki?"

The sound of his own name, twisted as it was by a foreign accent, made Shouto look up from his book and frown in the direction of the door. Around him, his classmates milled and mingled before class, and continued heated debates about the recent Sports Festival tournaments. They took no notice of the stranger and his hesitant Japanese.

The stranger had dark hair, which shaggily covered most of his face, and pale skin. He looked to be around Shouto's age, fifteen, if not a bit older. He was saying something again, likely trying to explain the why of his visit, but he struggled with the wording. Japanese clearly wasn't a first, second or third language. He tried to gesture, to instil meaning into the garbled words he uttered, but the teacher just frowned lightly and tried to push him back into the hall. Surprisingly, a puff of smoke emitted from the other boy on a frustrated sigh.

Shoto stood up, deciding to take mercy on the poor boy and moved forward with measured steps. Of course, Izuku and Iida took notice, and their attentiveness alerted the rest of the class, who quieted almost instantly. Everyone stared curiously at the stranger.

Red bloomed across the boy's neck and cheeks at the sudden focus.

"I am Shouto," he admitted, switching to English and all the required naming conventions.

The relief in the boy's one visible eye was profound. It was the colour of polished gold and burned with an inner fire that immediately made Shouto wary. Fire… He still wasn't a fan.

"Ah, thanks, thank you," the boy responded, turning fully towards Shoto. He was tall and lithe, but with the muscle definition of someone who trained hard, fiercely, and trained daily, religiously. Shouto couldn't help but note how carefully the other boy kept his left eye covered by a swathe of black hair.

"Uh, so, I'm Zuko," the boy introduced himself and gave a small bow. "Your cousin?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey! superimpossedmadness this is for you. I didn't want to leave ch1 just like that but I realised that I would need to plot out a bit of lore if I wanted a seamless blend of the universes and not just copy-paste or a Zuko-insert. A bit of an info-dump, but I was writing as fast as I could - thanks for reviewing in the meantime. **

**Anyway, reviews are appreciated and they remind me to write! Comments, suggestions, questions and quirks - all are welcome! Tell me what you like, what you'd like to see. Thanks for reading!**

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"Wait, you're _Zuko_?" Izuku projected across the room, spluttering a bit in disbelief. "_You're_ the Fire Prince!" Izuku exclaimed the accusation, pointing with a finger that shook ever so slightly.

Excitement or nerves? Izuku's voice had held equal amounts of awe and horror, so Shouto couldn't be sure. His own brain was hiccuping slightly at the information.

A heavy silence hung for a second, delicately poised between the paper-thin pages of time, as everyone processed the entirety of that statement. And then?

And then, chaos broke.

Everyone babbled at the same time, torn between excitement and wary aggression as the son of the most notorious Chinese-American villain stood at the front of the class looking like he wished the wall would swallow him whole. Zuko looked surprised, slightly scared and utterly confused, having only just learned basic Japanese whilst on the plane that brought him from America. Now he was being bombarded with unknown words and sounds, and the kids, half of who looked younger than twelve, were glaring menacingly.

One of the administrative personnel suddenly arrived, her quirk kicking in and mitigating the language barrier. The shouts and accusations became understandable, and Zuko winced, shrinking into himself even more and taking another step backwards, only to bump into the wall.

"Everybody! Calm down!" Iida shouted and motioned for the class to sit down, get back, shut up. They reluctantly obeyed since, throughout the chaos, Zuko had merely stood there and waited. He didn't seem to pose a threat and he wouldn't have been let into U.A. if he was as villainous as his affiliations suggested. Right? He looked... normal.

"Perhaps we can talk outside?" Zuko asked, slight desperation fraying the question's edges, making it sound more like a plea.

Shouto was torn between wanting quiet and calm, and wanting the support of his classmates if needed. Izuku especially looked like he wouldn't agree with the idea of Shouto following the other boy outside. The teacher was dialling someone on the intercom, so Shouto assumed somebody who could handle a potentially maniacal fire-controller would be arriving soon.

Ozai, or the Phoenix King, was a cruel, elitist villain who controlled one of the largest villain groups in the world. So large, in fact, that it was more of a thriving, underground community, with fingers in all sorts of dangerous criminal sects and modern industries. Ozai's entire inner circle consisted of fire-based villains, with destructive quirks ranging from controlling lava to generating lightning. The Fire Nation was a terrifying group with its members having a cult-like mentality towards their leader. The Phoenix King was a name and a title, passing from son to son, and only growing in notoriety and power with every generation past.

"You… you've probably not heard yet, but I've defected. I've never agreed with my father's methods or motivations, and I've tried to oppose him before but," Zuko's hand twitched towards his face, subconsciously brushing his hair, securing the locks over his eye. His hand dropped quickly when he realised.

Taking a deep breath to steel his nerves, he continued, "But I am done with them. I have left."

Shouto knew of his father's two brothers, Ozai and Iroh, both who had remained in the Fire Nation after the death of their father, Azulon. The youngest, and also the least powerful, of the brothers, Endeavour had become a hero instead, to set himself apart from his siblings with whom he could not compete. Endeavour wanted to be the best and when he couldn't be the strongest villain, he tried for the opposite title.

According to gossipy media reports, who sometimes treated the Fire Nation more like royalty than a group of psychotic villains, Ozai had two children and Iroh, one. Azula, the youngest of Ozai's children was the most powerful fire-based quirk user in history, at the tender age of fourteen, and Lu Ten, Iroh's son, had inherited a non-fire quirk, a quirk from his mother's side, and remained out of the spotlight.

Shouto frowned lightly, recalling very little about Zuko. Although he definitely possessed a fire quirk, Shouto couldn't think of any details beyond the fact that this cousin of his could produce flames. Ozai's quirk stemmed from his emotion. The more powerful the emotion, whether greed or pain or love or hate, the more powerful the ability. The same went for Azula and Zuko, although their quirks had different requirements, with the former having only to channel rage and the latter, something else. Despite tradition, everyone knew the Phoenix King title would pass to Azula next and not Ozai's first-born because of his much weaker abilities.

"We can speak outside," Shouto relented and stepped forward. The awkward boy appeared to be choosing the right thing despite the obvious dangers of going against his father. If he read the situation correctly, Shouto felt a small surge of pride for this newfound family member and for a blissful second, he allowed himself to entertain the possibility of having _true_ kin.

Just before Shouto could follow Zuko outside, Izuku grabbed his sleeve. "Be careful. They are all rumoured to be crazy." Izuku's eyes were wide, concern painted across his features.

Shouto could only nod, thinking of his own narcissistic father and their turbulent father-son relationship. Who was he to judge madness?

But crazy, he could handle. And he could relate with Zuko. He could definitely understand the struggle of standing up against one's father, as well as the need to escape.

Ultimately, Shouto was curious. How had Zuko gotten here and why? Why was he seeking Shouto out, instead of simply disappearing underground? And why now?


	3. Chapter 3

**This basically came from: write what you want to read. And I really wanted these two meet. I think they'd make a good family - they're too similar to choose to be friends, but they'd make great family. The kind that has your back no matter what.**

**Thanks for reading! And all the support. It was great getting this off my chest.**

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"So," Zuko started and then paused, frowning, looking back at the classroom. "Would you be able to understand me without the lady translating?"

Shouto merely nodded, for once thankful for his father's extensive education and extreme expectations, as well as his own driving need for perfection. He led them towards a seating area nearby. Out of the corner of his eye, Shouto spotted Mr Aizawa watching them. He was giving them space, but if Zuko tried anything, he wouldn't be able to land a blow before Eraser Head was on him.

"Cool, okay," Zuko fiddled slightly as he sat down. "I'm not sure what to say or where to start, but, I guess, it's good to finally meet you, cousin." Zuko shot a wry smile his way and Shouto could see the family resemblance despite their significantly different colourings. It was something around the eyes - he could see the brokenness shine through.

Shouto nodded, still wary, although his heart warmed at the idea of having family who might understand what he was going through. His siblings… they didn't have the best of relationships. They hadn't been groomed constantly since birth to be the perfect hero, the ultimate hero. Zuko could probably sympathise. Although Azula was more powerful, there had been certain expectations on Zuko to take-over the "family business".

"Why?" Shouto asked. He didn't quite know which of the thousand questions he wanted to ask first, so he prompted vaguely, hoping that Zuko would understand his inevitable confusion. He ended up sounding vaguely desperate and mildly exasperated instead.

Zuko hung his head. "Well, I guess… Lu Ten died." Lu Ten, Iroh's son, Shouto's other male cousin. It was weird to think about losing the family he had never known.

"He was… my best friend. No, probably my only friend. And Iroh, our uncle, he didn't take it too well. He helped me get out of the business and out of the country. I have nobody; nowhere to go. And I saw you on the television. And…" he rambled and then, paused. Before he continued, he brushed back some of the black strands hanging in front of his eye, revealing a disfiguring, pink scar.

Shouto recoiled, wincing in sympathy and wincing also at the implications. It was a burn scar. From fire. Likely left untreated on purpose. A horrid burn scar that covered most of Zuko's left face, ear, and neck.

Zuko flinched, letting the hair fall back down. Hurt played across his features but also disgusted resignation. At himself.

"No, I'm sorry!" Shouto protested, not knowing what to do with any of his limbs. "He- you- Your father, he did that?" Shouto could hear the horror in his own voice and when Zuko nodded, Shouto felt nausea coil tightly in his stomach.

"I'm… I'm so sorry." What else could he say?

"Me too," Zuko sighed, more smoke coiling from his mouth. "I have never agreed with my father's cruelty but if you grow up with the cruellest, you sometimes struggle to see exactly how cruel. And I couldn't imagine anything different.

"I got this," he gestured to his face. "when I turned thirteen and tried to stop the senseless murder of innocents." He let out a sardonic, self-deprecating laugh. It sounded like nails rattling in his throat. "I knew Ozai was evil, but it took me longer than it should have to see how crazy he was. So, I tried to get out. I met some people, and they tried to help. They _did_ help. But my father doesn't take betrayal lightly. In the eyes of his followers, my scar marked my lack of honour, but my obvious betrayal meant open season. What better way to get into the Phoenix King's good graces than to take out his traitorous son?"

"You okay?" Shouto asked after a few seconds.

It seemed that Zuko was reliving something, something that was tearing him apart inside. From the way pursed mouth and clenched fists, he could imagine a recount of every mistake and flaw and decision playing through his head.

Shouto had never been skilled at dealing with intense displays of emotion, nor was he one for physical touch even if Zuko didn't seem like the type who'd appreciate it either way. But Shouto wanted to comfort this reflection of himself.

"Yeah, I'm good," Zuko said and then repeated it with conviction. "I am good. Now."

And then he turned his gaze, still that intense, that impossibly bright gold, on Shouto. It seemed to pierce his soul. "That's why I came. I just wanted to make sure that you-someone else wasn't… yeah, so- are you okay?"

Zuko's eyes flickered to Shouto's left side. His own scar suddenly felt so insignificant when he compared it to the other boy's face.

"Do you need help?" Zuko asked, protective anger hardening his soft voice.

Shouto sat on his hands, forcing himself not to touch his scar. "No, I'm fine. I can handle my father."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, this," he jerked his head left. "This wasn't him. It was an accident."

"Okay. If you're sure." Zuko doesn't sound sure but he respected pride and independence. Honour. "I know your father is one of the greatest heroes ever, but that doesn't necessarily make him a good father. If… If you need, I have some money – actually, I have a lot of money – but you can come live with me? If you want."

Shouto was taken aback. This boy who he had _just_ met, was willing to take him in. Just like that?

This. This was what family was supposed to be like.

He felt impossibly sad and impossibly hopeful at the same time. _He had someone_! It pained him to shake his head and decline the kind offer. "Thank you, truly, but I'm living in the dorms on campus. But I appreciate the offer more than you can ever imagine."

"I think I have a pretty good idea," Zuko smirked but it's softer this time as if at least some of the burden he'd been carrying had lightened. He breathed deeply. "Okay, I believe you. You're amazing by the way. I saw your fights and… you're incredible. Your potential takes my breath away." Zuko shook his head, awe clear in his expression.

"Thanks," Shouto felt pleased and awkward at the attention. He rubbed at the back of his neck. It felt nice.

Zuko grinned. "I can still probably kick your butt."

A light jostle against Shouto's shoulder allowed the grin to spring forth. A challenge. At least that was something he knew how to deal with.

"Anyway, I'm sticking around, so if you need anyone to help you with the other end of things," he said and gestured to Shouto's fire side. "I'd love to show you some moves? When you're ready."

There was such hope in Zuko's voice, such heart-breaking hope, that Shouto could only stare for a few moments. It had been so long since someone had genuinely seemed to care. His classmates were wonderful and supportive, and he even hesitantly referred to them as friends, but to have someone offer themselves so selflessly was overwhelming.

"I… I would like that very much," he heard himself say, surprised by the genuine warmth in the words. He still didn't want to acknowledge that _other_ side of him, but if the man before him was only fire, then the element clearly wasn't all bad. It couldn't be.

"Great!" Zuko enthused, eyes bright. During the talk, the hair covering his scar had shifted out of the way slightly, and Shouto could see both of his cousin's glowing eyes. Such a bright-bright gold.

Wondering if he was overstepping, Shouto cleared his throat lightly. "If I may?"

And Zuko nodded encouragingly, such open trust and eagerness in his eyes.

"I think your scar is a mark of honour instead."

Zuko's eyes widened at the change in topic and his heartbeat visibly pounded against the vein at his neck.

"I think, it marks you as a hero. It shows that you've stood up for what's right, for what you believe. To me, that's honour."

For a moment, Shouto thought that he had ruined everything with his sudden admission and boldness, and regret seeped into his bones. But quickly, Zuko's expression of embarrassed disbelief changes into something resembling wonder. "You know, a friend of mine said almost exactly the same thing. I think you'd like her a lot." And his voice is warm with pride and happiness and something more...

"So…. When do you have some time free?" Zuko asked, just before the moment could descend into an awkward silence. The words and the grin are a bit forced since Zuko was usually not the one needing to extend a hand. Neither of them, it seemed, was naturally extroverted, so Shouto appreciated the other's small sacrifice in personality.

Shouto looked up and around, spotting Mr Aizawa hovering around the corner. The teacher must have heard because he stepped forward, nodding at the two teenagers. "A demonstration of opposing elements is always very informative. I am sure we can fit that into the timetable."

For what felt like the first time in a very, very long time, Shouto grinned unabashedly. Aizawa startled at the sight, his eyes subtly roving over the younger Todoroki's face before moving to the other Todoroki, the Fire Prince. It seemed that his instincts were wrong, after all. The remarkable young, exiled heir of the Fire Nation would be a great influence, indeed.


End file.
